Israel said yesterday it would conduct its own probe of the deadly high-seas commando raid on a blockade-running ship, rather than accept a UN-run international investigation.

Israeli media said the government would empanel a two-level judicial committee that would look into the legality of the 3-year-old blockade of the Gaza Strip as well as the May 31 battle aboard the ship, which left nine pro-Palestinian activists dead.

Iran raised the stakes in the blockade dispute by saying it would send one of its own “aid” ships to Gaza later this week.